2018

MEET JAMES F. FALLON and more than 5.750 other soldiers during THE FACES OF MARGRATEN.

www.degezichtenvanmargraten.nl

Yesterday some 20 members of the Foundation United Adopters of American War Graves attended a preliminary meeting with regard to the 2018 edition of 'The Faces of Margraten'.

This commemorative event will take place between 2nd and 6th of May at the Netherlands American Cemetery & Memorial at Margraten.

Of the 10.023 men and (4) women buried in this cemetery or commemorated on the Walls of the Missing we will be able to show at least 5.750 photographs. Do you have a photograph to contribute to our project ? (see my posts in the various Bomb or Fighter Group Association Facebook pages): you have just one week left to send in photographs !

The portrait of James F. Fallon, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been chosen as this year's edition 'Face of Margraten'. James was an engineer/top turret gunner in the 524th Bomb Squadron of the 379th Bombardment Group.

Below find more info about his tragic death on the 22nd February 1944.

B-17G-20-BO / #42-31028 / 'Mojo' / 379 BG /524 BS

Pilot: Captain Harry R. Simons. KIA. Rtd USA

Copilot:1st Lieutenant John H. Robins. KIA. Rtd USA

Navigator: 2nd Lieutenant Robert W. Jones. KIA. Margraten E-10-24

Bombardier: 1st Lieutenant William Bonin Jr. POW

Engineer: Sergeant James F. Fallon. KIA. Margraten E-20-24

Radio Operator: T/Sergeant Ole K. Nelson. KIA. Margraten N-22-10

BTG: Sergeant Donald P. Harmon. KIA. Margraten G-20-9

LWG: Staff Sergeant Leo S. Borkowski. KIA. Ardennes Cemetery

RWG: Staff Sergeant Rufus W. Till. POW

TG: Staff Sergeant Raymond W. Veiders Jr. POW

MACR 2872.

Took off from Kimbolton, assigned target Wernigerode, Germany.

Hit by flak and exploded in mid-air blowing the three survivors clear. Aircraft crashed at Gattrupp, near Senden/Westfalen, nine miles south-west of Munster, Germany, at 1305 hrs. 7 KIA, 3 POW.

Note: P, CP, RO & BTG were buried on the eastern edge Senden Cemetery. On 10th May 1945 they were reinterred in the Netherlands Cemetery. Captain Simons is now buried in Pennsylvania and Lt Robins in Texas. The N & E were buried in the POW ‘Muhlen Cemetery’ at Dülmen/Westfalen and were also reinterred in the Netherlands Cemetery on 10th May 1945. S/Sgt Borkowski was initially buried in Grave 14, RC Cemetery at Lüdinghausen. Later reinterred in the Ardennes Cemetery.

Fighters scored hits in the wings and set the oxygen system on fire. After some of the crew had baled out the aircraft went down and crashed 1340 hrs at Brake-Senne near Bielefeld, Germany. 6 KIA, 4 POW.

Note: Initially buried in Senne Cemetery. On 24th May 1945 they were reinterred in the Netherlands Cemetery before final burial as flows – Lt Flaherty & S/Sgt Larson (New York), S/Sgt Butler (Maine) and three in the Netherlands Cemetery.

Source: “Losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces”, (J. Hey / S. Bishop), Volume 2, p.190 plus added info from my own archives. Source of the 'Mojo' nose art of B-17 #42-31028: Pinterest.

James F Fallon